What I like to do is, after sealing the car with flat finish, cover it with powdered charcoal. Then I go back with a soft paper towel (like Visa etc.) and remove a lot of the charcoal from the car. I wrap the towel around one finger, and use downstrokes to simulate (in my mind at least) rain washing the car. This leaves the car with a "patina" of weathering...on say a brown boxcar, the white lettering is quite legible but is slightly toned-down to a light gray, and the "dirt" sticks in crevices like between wood slats on a woodside car, or raised surfaces like rivets on a steel car. Then I seal that in with flat finish - unlike chalk, it doesn't disappear when sprayed with finish. Then I go back and add a few subtle bits of rust etc. using chalk.
The nice thing about powdered charcoal is that until you seal it in, you can completely wash it off and start over if you're not happy, unlike using paint or alcohol/india ink or other methods that aren't really removeable.
Shawnee - Take a look at MR's newer book Done in a Day
http://kalmbachcatalog.stores.yahoo.net/12458.html
I just finished this the other day. Walther's had my order for weathering materials before I was half done. This is one of the better MR books I have read. Take a look at it next time your at the LHS or just oder a copy. It sounds like it's just the setp by step book you are looking for
ratled
Modeling the Klamath River area in HO on a proto-lanced sub of the SP “The State of Jefferson Line”
Well, some beautiful weathering jobs there~! Wow, not even aiming for anything like that, I'm just looking for a light weathering to start, black soot and dirt colors really not even rust. Rust, I have applied to my steel bridges with testors enamel rust color and feathering it a bit with mineral spirits and seems to work nicely enuf for me. I have some rust powders too but am going to wait until I have soot down first before I start messing with the rust. I also noticed, tried to use the dirty white color for my limestone hoppers but it like doesn't make the slightest difference...maybe I have to just glom the white color on to be noticeable? So different that black soot which a tint bit can cause an immense mess. I'm a bit leery with these powders since it's clear I can easily mess up with them.
Ok, I guess I got to stick with it, the learning curve. Soft brush and Q-tip sound good advice. All the instructional stuff says hard bristle brush, even a toothbrush but the hard brushes do seem to just plunk the stuff on and creates these ungainly blotches if you try to work or correct it. I'll try a big soft brush and q-tip, and will also try with dullcoat too, thought that I didn't need dullcoat after the powders, but know it looks like to use if before the powders!
Thanks, all.
Hi Shawnee: I'm relatively new at weathering, but I've been using Bar Mills and Doc O'Brien's weathering powders. I've found it takes a light touch and very little powder, almost like dry brushing, to get decent results. I've been using a small, stiff bristle brush. I've also used them with and without Dull Coat. Start with a very light coating, and if you want more, add a little more. Here's a few examples.
An RS27
A box car
A building and vehicle
A soft brush works well. I have found buying make-up brushes work well. Check your local Wal-mart. Check the make-up aisle, there are a couple of brushes i use. A large soft bristle, and a smaller soft brush. Make sure you tap off the excess power prior to applying it to the model. It is easier to apply more than remove too much.
John
As others have suggested, the first step is to prime the piece will dull coat. To get rid of streaks and blotches, I suggest you try dry rubbing with a paper towel in a vertical direction. If you have any experience with Photo Shop or other graphics software, it works a little like the blur tool. It will smooth out any sharp effects.
It's definately a learning curve. They go on a lot different than pastel chalks. I use a fine soft brush to apply them and then a wide soft-medium brush to feather them. I went overboard REAL EZ with my first couple of attempts.
You might be using the wrong shade. I love these powders. The brush I use is neither stiff, nor really soft. You can feather them by just going w/ a light dust, and then applying more and more as you come towards the bottom or top. Also, if you seal the locomotive or car, etc, the sealer actually dilutes the powders. The U23B below was actually sealed two or three times.
I used only weathering powders on this boxcar and U23B, i'm planning on weathering more things w/ the powders:
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
Shawnee:
I use the Bragdon weathering powders after giving the model a coat of Dullcote to give the powders 'footing', then I use a Q-tip to apply the powders very lightly, building up the coats as needed. I've tried the brush method, and like you, I might have too 'heavy' a hand to use brushing successfully. I find that I can vary the amount with a Q-tip a lot better. It takes a little longer, but so far I've been pretty satisfied with the results.
Now I'd better say right off the bat that so far, I've only weathered my steam locomotives--haven't tried the technique on any freight cars yet. But it seems to be working pretty well on my locos.
Tom
PS: Robby, those cars look realy GREAT!
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
First off, what look are you going for? Rust, you might wanna mix them into your oil paints, or gouche paints. Next, dullcote the whole car. Gives the powders something to grab. I use soft brushs and have no problems.
I've dibe all of my weathering jobs with bragdons powders. Also get you some q-tips. I use them just as much as brushes.
Also if you mess up, just add some water to the q-tip, and its not as messy like a paint brush would be.
With this side of the hobby "weathering", there's a million ways/items to use.
Heres a few shots of stuff I have done with the powders.
"Rust, whats not to love?"
Does anyone have some tips I can use on how to best apply Bragdon and Bar Mills weathering powders? I've started to try to use these, but have had the worst expereince - there is no subtlety in the powders, and applying them just doesn't seem to me to come across realistically. According tot he instruction, use a stiff brush but that makes them just awful. They go on blotchey, and any attempt to feather the effect or modify them just makes them darker. Using a soft brush looks streaky. Removing them with water just creates a mess. I've had to wash down and repaint all over again a couple of models to get rid of the effect to start over.
Very, very frustrated with these expensive powders. I like the fact that they stick, but the stick too well I guess! Any tips on how to apply these with subtlety? Any unique technique on application that doesn't end-up heavy handed? I guess I have heavy hands when it comes to these ultra senstive sticky powders, but usually I am pretty light touch, so don't get it.
Help!
Thanks,
Shawnee